Opistophthalmus spp.
Sold under its hobby name. This guide covers the group or trade name this fella is sold as, so the ranges fit the whole group. Start in the middle and watch how your animal settles in.
African Burrowing Scorpions: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: Southern African burrowing scorpions: O. glabrifrons, O. carinatus and relatives. Stocky and defensive, with mild-to-moderate venom. They want deep, packable clay-sand substrate to excavate. Adults reach about 4-5 inches.
Group: Industry StaplesDifficulty: Spice 3: IntermediateSetup: Arid burrowing terrestrial (deep clay-sand)Handling: Not recommended, will sting
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | 75-85°F |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 35-50%, good airflow; dry surface, faintly damp at depth |
| Setup Type | Arid burrowing terrestrial (deep clay-sand) |
| Substrate | Clay-sand, 6-8 in, packed to hold a burrow; starter hole |
| Feeding | Small roaches/crickets weekly |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 3: Intermediate |
| Handling | Not recommended, will sting |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- 2i-3i instars: secure starter enclosure, escape-proof ventilation only.
- Juveniles and smaller species: Burrow Buddy setup.
- Bigger species' adults: larger terrestrial setup.
Warnings First
- Defensive: will pinch and sting; venom is mild-to-moderate, so still treat every sting with care.
- Needs a deep, packable clay-sand substrate it can dig; loose sand collapses.
- Keep dry, with a secure lid.
- A 6-8 in burrow has no passive air exchange at the bottom; cross ventilation at substrate level keeps it fresh.
Simple Care
- Deep clay-sand substrate (6-8 in), packed enough to hold a burrow; start a hole.
- Cross ventilation low on two opposite walls so the burrow layer keeps exchanging air.
- Dry, with a water dish; pebbles inside so small instars can't drown.
- A secure lid; this is a defensive digger, not a display-friendly animal.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- O. glabrifrons (shiny burrowing scorpion), O. carinatus and others: Southern African savanna. Needs deep, packable clay-sand it can tunnel through; loose pure sand won't hold.
- Dry, with a water dish. A secure lid matters: these are stronger and more defensive than they look.
- Vents go low on two opposite walls, at or just above the substrate, so the deep burrow stays fresh instead of stagnant.
- On a dry species, good airflow holds ambient at 35-50% by itself, so the water dish is the only other input to manage.
- Judge by hand: surface dry, substrate packable but not wet at depth, holding shape when squeezed with no water released.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Small roaches or crickets around body length, smaller for juveniles. Young eat every 4-7 days, adults every 1-2 weeks; remove uneaten feeders, especially before a molt.
- Matures over several molts, then stops growing. Molting happens in the burrow; if it's sealed off food, leave it be. Never offer prey to a soft, freshly-molted animal.
- Give deep, packable substrate to tunnel in and don't collapse the burrow to check on it. Defensive when exposed: it pinches hard and will sting, so keep transfers tool-based.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Southern Africa: savanna and arid scrub.
- Habitat translation: A deep, packable clay-sand substrate that holds a burrow, kept dry, with a starter hole, a water dish, and a secure lid.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Adult size about 4-5 in. Venom is mild-to-moderate; the bigger hazard during maintenance is the powerful pincers.
- Largely a 'pet burrow' once settled: you maintain the substrate microclimate and see the animal at night or at feeding.
- Anchor heavy decor to the floor before adding substrate; an excavating Opistophthalmus will undermine it.